Improvement in time-locks



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. STOCKWELL.

. Time-Look.

No. 206,146. Patented 1u1y16. 1816.

k WTJVH/SSES INVENTOR N.PETRS, PHOTU-LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D CA 4 Sheets-Sheetz E. STOOKWELL.

Time-Lock.

No. 206,146. Patented hlly 16, 1878.

` INVENTOR f/waky Smc/(wal.

WITJVEfS/S'E'S ,By his ./ltorneys @a/WM N-FETERS, PHOTO Ma/Mg AFHER. wAsHlNGTcN D C 4 Sheets-.Sheet 4 vE. STOGKWELL.

h Time-Look.

Fly Ptented July 16, i878.

WIZ'JV'ESSES IJV'VENTOR By his Attorneys I N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

EMORY STOCKWELL, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE YALE LOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TIME-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 206,146, dated July 16, 1878; application filed April 6, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Enom' STocKwELL, of Stamford, in the county of Faireld and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improved Time-Lock, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to a time-lock` to be connected with au independent system of great door-bolts of a sate or vault, commonly termed bolt-work,77 and to automatically cast and retract the same for locking and unlocking at predetermined times, to be regulated by the adjustment of certain peculiar mechanism.

My invention is particularly well adapted to apply to such improved safe and vault door fastcnings as set forth in my application for patent iled March 16,1878, although it may also be used in connection with ordinary sliding bolt-work as well.

Time-locks have heretofore been constructed to automatically retract their own bolts at predetermined times through the operation ot their time mechanism, and also to cast them at the instant of closing the doors on which they were placed, the snubbing contact of the door-jambs on the ends of their bolts serving to trip certain fastenings set to hold them temporarily retracted to enable the doors to be closed. This casting them, however, was not through any action of the time mechanism, but was independently effected by the act of closing the doors, and no timelocks prior to mine, so far as I am aware, have ever been capable of use to throw and retract the ordinary independent gang-bolts or boltwork of a door.

In my tilne-lock I provide peculiar means for securing such casting of the bolt-work by the act of closing the door, as just described; but while it is important, it is only secondary to the main purpose rst mentioned, viz., causing the bolt-work to be automatically cast and retracted at predetermined times by the action of the time mechanism.

My time-lock is composedof several groups of mechanism, cach having a more or less distinctive function, and all being connected together to make up the whole organization. These groups I distinguish, for convenience of description, as the time mechanism, the rack-bars, the actuating spring-barrels, the direct holding and releasing mechanism operating` on the rack-bars and spring-barrels, the reciprocating tripping mechanism, the divided stirrup and its actuating mechanism, the seventh-day mechanism, and the supplemental unlocking mechanism.

I proceed now to describe these groups and their connections and relations in the order named by particular reference to the letters on the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, first prelnising in general, however, that-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the inner face of a safe or vault door, showing the boltwork thrown forward and my time-lock applied to secure the same in that position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my time-lock with its door removed, and a section of the strong bar of the bolt-work in the unlocked position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of my time-lock, showing the details of its mechanism and both spring-barrels wound. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the upper part of my time-lock, showing its details of mechanism and the righthand spring-barrel only wound. Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, on the line 5 5 of Fig. Fig. Gis a horizontal section on the line 6 G of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 4. Fig. Sis a similar section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the lower portion of my time-lock, with some of the parts removed. Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line l0 10 of Fig. 11. Fig. ll is a front elevation of the stirrup and seventh-day mechanism. Fig. 12 is a vertical section on the line l2 12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a perspective vieW of the slotted cam-sleeve. Fig. 14 is a front elevation of the dial, with the pointer-disk partly broken away; and Fig. l5 is a section on the line l5 l5 of Fig. 14.

A indicates a safe-door, B B, great doorbolts, connected by a string-bar, C, constituting ordinary reciprocating bolt work, and moving in bearings in the carrying-bars D D. E E E E indicate friction-rollers at the lower sides of the bolt-bearing, on which the bolts ride. and which greatly t'acilitatc their movement to and t`ro. liach friction-roller is provided with a concave groove aronnditsperiphA ery, in which each great bolt rests. I set these rollers in sockets, in the carrying-bars under the bolts, and then place shouldered caps over the sockets, and pass screw-bolts through thc caps and rollers into the bars to form the axles, on which the rollersturn loosely. These anti-friction appliances enable me to employ smaller motor-springs in my time-lock than would otherwise be necessary.

I indicates a time-lock having two time lnoveinents, geared to revolve a single dialarbor; but as there is nothing novel in that, I omit all description of details. In the upper part ot' the lock-case, above the time-movelnents, are two rack-bars, (l I"ig.3, thelatY ter bar being in rear of the former, and coilnected in any convenient manner with the string-bar ot the bolt-work byalink,H. These rack-bars bear against each other, and are loosely connected by a stud, a, Fig. 4, projecting t'rom the rear bar through an elongated slot, b, in the front bar G, so that one bar lnay move a certain distance longitudinally while the other is at rest.

l and J, Fig. 5, indicate two spring-barrels, provided with cogged sectors on their exteriors, for engagement with the respective rackbars. The right-hand barrel I is pivotcd to the back plate K and the front plate K, and is stationary, and operates on the front rackbar, while the left-hand barrel J is pivoted within a metallic ease, J', that is secured on the front rack; and this barrel moves with the front rack-bar and operates on the rear rack-bar. lach barrel contains a stron gcoiled spring, the one within the right-hand barrel being so applied as to turn it to the left, and the one within the let't-hand barrel being so applied as to turn it to the right, and the barrels arc provided with strong winding-posts or key-arbors c and c. \\'hen the barrels are both unwound both ot the rack-bars and the holt-work are at the limit of their throw to the let't--that is, are in the unlocked position. Being in this position, when the right-hand barrel is turned by the key to the right it carries both rack-bars and the bolt-work to the right, or in the direction of casting the great bolts for locking` because the lefthand barrel, being carried by the front rackbar and being meshed in the rear rackbar, lnoves this bar along with it. 'hen the left-hand barrel is turned bythe key to the left, (after the right-hand barrel has been turned to the right and secured in that position,) it carries the rear rack-bar and the boltwork to the left, or in the direction ot' retracting the great bolts for unlocking. Now, snpposing the locklasc door to be open, it` the left-hand barrel should be turned by the key to the left before the right-hand barrel had been turned by the key to the right and secured in that position. the ct'cct would be to lnove thc t'ront rack-bar to the right and to fasten it in that position, aml at the sametime to wind up and secure the right-hand barrel. ln other words, the eii'ect upon the rack-bars and bolt-work would be the same as it' the right-hand barrel were rst wound. and then afterward the left-hand barrel. It is consequently not absolutely necessary to have any key-arbor on the right-hand barrel at all. An elongated key-slot might be provided in the lock-case door to accommodate the movement ot' the let't-hand cylinder while heilig thus wound; but the force required to wind both barrels at once in this way would be considerable, and it might be found inconvenient in practice. llence I form the key-aperture d for the right-hand barrel in the door ot' my lock-case opposite the key-arbor c, and the key-aperture d' for the left-hand barrel opposite that position in which the key-arbor c will stand when the right-hand barrel has been turned to the right by the key, and there secured, so that it will be impossible, while the lock-case door is sluit, to reach the arbor of the left-hand barrel with the key until at'ter the right-hand barrel has been turned and set in position.

lllypresent time-lock, like myprior patented time-lock, is continuously operated by the time mechanism t'or locking aml unlocking at regularly-recurring periods, and hence, as with that lock, there is no occasion, after once having adjusted it t'or ordinary daily service, to open the lock-ease door, except t'or some extraordinary reason.

The front rack-bar carries on its front face a,pivoted hook-lever, e, the long arm ot' which is much heavier than the short arm, so that it tends to drop and elevate the short arm, on the upper side of which is the hook e. This hook-lever might be worked by a spring instead ot by gravity. Its ottice is to engage byits hook with the stud a when the springbarrels have been turned, respectively, to the right and left by the key, and thus to hold the rear rack-bar and the bolt-work in the retracted position to enable thedoorto be closed. It isat'terward, at a predetermined time, tripped by the operation ot' the time movements, through the instrumentality' ot' mechanism that will presently be described, and the rackbar and holt-work are thereby released, and permitted tobe thrown forward into the locked position.

Secured to the front rack-bar, and immediately over the hook-lever e, is a spring-catch, f, tending to keep itself elevated and inoperative, and provided with a hook, f', at its free end, slightly to the right ofthe vertical plane ot' hook c', t'or engagement, when desired, with the stud a. This spring-catch has a small downward projection, g, immediately over a lug, y', on the hook-lever e. 0n the top ot' the lock-case is a spring-plunger, h, Fig. 7, which, when pressed down, passes through au aperture in the plate ot' the case, and bears down the hooked end of the Spring-catch.

Instead of' using a spring-plunger, I might dispense with the spring of the plunger and rely on the resiliency of the spring-catch f; or

instead of a plunger I might employ a small lever or trigger, or a thumb-piece or other projection, or hand-piece of any kind, provided it would merely project from the outside ot' the lock-case, and be in a position to be pressed down or pushed aside, or pulled or turned to bear down the spring-catch j'. There are obviouslymany well-known Ways in which skilled mechanics can accomplish this without the use of a spring-plunger, but still in accordance with lny plan, or the idea or principle of my invention.

When the plunger is suddenly pressed down, the projection gstrikes the lug g,presscs down the short arm of the hook-lever e, disengages the hook e from stud a, (if they have previously been engaged by regularly winding the barrels,) and instantly engages the hook f' with the stud a in place of the hook e. The purpose ot' the spring-plunger h, spring-catch f, downward projection g, and lug g', having the mode ot' operation just described, is to give my time-lock, in addition to the capacity of automatically casting and retracting boltwork, the capacity of locking instantly by the act of closing the door on which it is placed, and the manner of this action will presently be disclosed.

Pivoted to a post on the back plate K is a spring-pawl, L, the purpose and tendency of which are to engage with a ratchet, r, on the right-hand barrel and hold the barrel in the wound position. This pawl is provided with a rearwardly-projecting pin, l, and a slot, lr, which respectively serve to connect it with peculiar parts operated by the time mechanism to tilt it and release the right-hand barrel, so that it will unwind, which parts I will now describe.

M indicates a vertically-reci procatin g slidebar, working in a guideway, M', secured to the back plate K. Pivoted on the upper end of this slide-bar is a spring-latch, N, having an inclined strike, and a hook, n, at its top, which enters the slot lc in the spring-pawl L. When the slide-bar M and latch N are elevated, the latter will pass through the slot 7c and impinge against the long arm ot' hook-lever e, raise it, and (the spring-barrels being wound) disengage it from the stud a, when the left-h and barrel will revolve and throw the rear rack-bar and bolt-work forward into the locked position. This is the ordinary method of effecting locking. As the slide-bar M and spring-latch N descend, the hook u, by the operation of the latch-spring, will catch hold ot' the springpawl L and disengage it from the ratchet i" on the right-hand barrel, when this barrel will unwind and throw both rackbars and the bolt-work backward. This is the ordinary method of eectin g unlocking.

ln order that by 'the descent of the slide-bar M and spring-latch N the spring-pawl L may not be held out of position for engagement with the ratchet r, I provide a lug, n', on one side of the latch N, which impinges against a pin, l', secured on one side of the guideway M', and causes the latch to be tilted, so as to unhook or let go its hold upon the springpawl L, the slot lc being sutliciently elongated to permit the operation.

In order to induce the reciprocal movement of slide-bar M, I pivot to its lower end a peculiarly-co1lstructed stirrup, O, formed of two like parts, held together at their upper ends by their pivot and at their lower ends by a yielding spring, o, and forming, when thus united, an irregular oval aperture through the stirrup, provided with angular side projections p and p. The dialarbor projects through this oval aperture, and carries a sleeve, I?, which loosely ts the arbor, and has a cam, Q, upon one side and radial slots q q on top, the latter ot' which extends down into a trailsverse slot, R. The dial-arbor is provided with a slot, s, corresponding to the slot q, and the sleeve is to be pla-ced upon the arbor so that these two slots will be coincident. This done, I place the dial over the sleeve so that its lug t will enter these coincident slots. I then place the pointer-disk S upon the arbor over the dial, so that the lugs u u' will enter the radial slots in the sleeve, when I add a washer, r, and secure the Whole in place by the screwcap w. The transverse slot R permits the sleeve and pointer-disk to be moved in an arc ot a circle, of which arc the length ot' the transverse slot, measured by a right line, is the cord, the slotforming a space or way for the dial-lug t during such movement. I am able, therefore, within certain limits, sufficienttbr all practical purposes, to adjust the pointer-disk and sleeve and cam, whose relations to each other are always iiXed with respect to the dial and arbor, whose relations to each other are also always iixed.

In order to set the pointer-disk in place and tix it to the dial when adjusted, I provide a small thumb-screw and a segmetal series of closely-contiguous screw-holes, x, in the dial.

The office of the pointer-disk is to indicate the hours when the locking and unlocking will occur, the pointers on the disk being given the proper relation to the cain Q for that purpose in the construction ot' the lock.

The operation of the parts just described for reciprocating the slide-bar M will now be readily perceived. The time-movements, or either of them, rotating1 the dial-arbor in the direction of the arrow, will carry around with it the dial, the pointer-disk, and the sleeve, and at the proper time the cam Q will strike the angular projection p, which stands in its path, and elevate the sti rrup and superimposed parts, already described, to ctt'ect locking. Were it not for the yielding spring at the bottoni ot the stirrups, the projection, formed, as shown in the drawings, to insure engagement with the ca-m, might prevent the complete revolution ofthe sleeve and stop the time-movements;

but that spring pcrlnits the two parts of the stirrllp to separate slightly, it necessary, alld the calll to pass on, alld tllell it brings the parts together again. Continuing its revolutioll, the calll will, at the proper time, strike the projection p alld depress the stirrllp alld superinlposed parts, to etect unlocking.

As lny lock is represellted ill the drawings, the locked alld unlocked periods would oecllr at the same llollr a. nl. alld Yp. nl., alld be of equal duration, the tillle lllechallisln being geared to revolve the dlal-arbor alld the parts carried by it once ill twenty-tour hours; but it is obvious tllat, by a diti'erent relative adjustment ot' the cam and proiections ill the stirrup-aperture, any desired diti'erence ill duratioll. within practical requirements, betweell the lockell alld unlocked periods lnay be se cured.

Connected with the tillle-movements, and located hellilld the stirrup, is a traill ot' gearingI and a scventlrday calll, such as described alld illustrated in the patellt ot' Samuel A. Little. No. 146,832, granted January 157, 1874; alnl I employ it t'or the salue purpose as indi cated ill tllat patent, viz., to prevellt unl'astening on Sundays. This gearing` is so arranged that, bet'ore the regular time t'or untastening by the devices tor daily pertbrnling that t`ullction arrives on Sunday mornings,the seventhday calll will collle in contact witll the pill 7, which projects a short distance t'l'om the rear ot' one ot' the parts ot' the stil'l'up, alld will press the pill and that halt'of thc stirlup carrying the pin and the projection p aside, alld hold it there lllltil the calli (J has passed the projection p. The y iclding spring allows the parts ot' the stil'l'np to separate to aeconlnlo date this action, alld then, wllell the seventh day calll has passed the pill 7, it brings them together again. To secure this function ot' the seventh-day calll with certainty. I provide a friction springstop, Y, Fig. il, on the guideway M', whicll, by the t'orce ot" its spring, illl` pinges against a pin, z/.in the slide-har )1,and, while it does not materially impede the elevatioll or depression ot' the slide-bar by the power of the timemovenlents, it prevents its descent by gravity to bring` the pill 7 so t'ar dowll ill the path ot' the sevelltll-day calll as to be struck by the side ot' the calll.

In order to prevent all accidental lock-out through a t'ailure to sntliciently wind the time mechanism. I enlploy a sllpplelllelltal ulllocking lllechanislll ill collllectioll with the time mechanism like that patented to lne, No. 186,177, granted the Sllh day ot" January, 1877, with only a ditl'ercnce that l will now poillt out. tonnceted with the pivoted triggers Z Z, which are sllbstalltially the salue as ill my patent, is a lillk, Fig. 5, ill the socket ill the upper elld ot" which rests the pill l, already above described as projecting rearwardly t'rom the spring-pawl l.. \\'llen the lollgarlns ot'tlle triggers, or either of them, are raisd by the of operation of the time mechanism and special sllpplelllelltal gearing, and their sllort arms are depressed, which always happens just before the maillsprillgs are completely unwound, the lilik s is drawn downward, alld tilts the spring-pawl L and releases the right-hand barrel, which instantly unwinds and retracts the bolt-wol'k.

Having now described all ot' the different groups of mechanism ill my lock, it will he easy for those skilled in the art to understand the colllbilled operation ot' the wllole as applied to use.

Assuming all the parts to have been properly adjusted and connected in the mechanical constructioll ot` the lock, the time mechanism to he wound alld running, the dial mechanism set to indicate the times when it is desired to have locking and unlocking` ot' the safe or vault occur, the spring-barrels to he nnwound, alld the rack-bars alld holt-work retracted, the trst step is to wind the right-hand barrel, which will carry both rack-hars and the holtwork forward illto the fastening position, alld secure tllelll there hy the action ot' springpawl L. llut the slot ll will permit stlld a alld the rear rack-bar alld holt-work to he thrown back again, alld that is next aceolllplislled hy winding the left-hand barrel alld the engagement ot' hook-lever c with stud (l. lhe door is now ill a condition to he closed. It' it he desired to lock it instantly upon closing, the spring-plunger ll must he suddenly depressed, which will displace llook-lever c alld replace it with spring-catch f. This spring-catch, as bet'ore explained, tends to keep itseltl elevated aml ollt of engagement with the stlld (l, aml lt is only held ill engagement by the friction dlle to the pressure ot' the stud rl llllder the fol-ee ot' the lett-hand eylillder-spring. Now, it' the bolts have a very slight slulh on the jamb ill closing the door, it will relieve this pressure, alld the catch will spring ont ot' engagement with stud n; and, as soon as the door is fullyelosed, the rear rack-bar alld holtwork will be thrown forward illto the locked position by the unwinding of the left-hand spring'barlel, alld the safe or vault will be locked.

1f it be desired to have the door relnain unlocked for a short period, alld tllell automatically lock hy the operatioll of the tillle-lllovelnellts at the time predetermined alld indicated hy the dial mechanism, that will he accomplished by thel cam Q striking the projectioll p, elevating the stirrup, slide-har M, and spring latch N ulltil the latter impinges against the long` arm of hook-lever e, and lifts it and disengages its hook from stlld a, when the locking will instantly occur, as ,inst described.

To etiect unlocking, the caln Q, at the predeterlllilled time, strikes projection p alld carries dowll the stirrup, slide-har, alld springlatch until the latter, by its hook, takes hold of the spring-paw] L and tilts and disengages it from the ratchet r of the right-hand barrel,

when the barrel unwinds and retracts the rack-bars and bolt-work.

It will be perceived that with my time-lock, combined with independent door-bolt work, it will not be necessary to have any spindle or other connection with the outside of the door to operate the bolt-work, as is the case with time-locks that are in general use, and that serve merely to dog and release the bolt-work. Hence the danger of attack by means of explosives or otherwise through the bolt-spindle, which is a very vulnerable point, is entirely removed. Furthermore, the labor of casting and retractin g the great bolts by hand, which is liable to be imperfectly performed or forgotten entirely, is wholly dispensed with, and the ample power of a strong coiled spring is availed of for locking, and of another strong coiled spring` for unlocking, the safe or vault.

The same operation that winds and sets the locking and unlocking springs places the boltwork iu the proper position for shutting the door.

The simple appliances by which I can instantaneously change my lock by pressure of the hand on the sprin g-plun ger from one that locks at a certain period by the operation of the time mechanism to one that locks by the act of closing the door, I deem of much utility and importance, because it will enable bankofficers to successfully defend against sudden attacks by masked robbers.

It should be habitual, as amatter of prudence, to wind the spring-barrels and time-movements in the morning upon entering the bank and opening the depositories, and it will then be only the work of an instant, in case of alarm, to push down the spring-plunger and close the door past all power from without to open it.

By my invention I secure this advantage without the necessity of access to the interior of the tilne-lock, and I have the convenience, also, oi' not being obliged to have my timelock, if set, lock at the instant of closing the door.

What I clailn as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a time mechanism, coiled springs that are wound by a key, one for casting and the other for retracting boltwork, and mechanism connecting with independent bolt work, all so constructed and arranged that the operation of winding the springs places the bolt-work in the proper position for shutting the door, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a time-lock, of atime mechanism, a mechanism to automatically cast and retract independent bolt-work, a mechanism for holding and casting the bolt-work by snubbing action, and a projecting part on the exterior of the lock-case, which, when operated by hand, shifts the fastening from the automatic bolt-work-actuating mechanism to the snubbin g-aetin g mechanism, substantially as described.

3, The combination ot' the rack-bars, the spring-barrels, and the bolt-work, substantially as described.

4. The combination ot' the rack-bars, the spring-barrels, and the spring-paul, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the rack -bars, the spring-barrels, the spring-pawl, and the hook-- lever, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the rack-bars, the spring-barrels, the spring-pawl, the hook-lever, and the spring catch and plunger, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the raek-bars,the lefthand barrel moving with the front bar, the right-hand barrel for moving the front bar, and the stud and slot loosely connecting the bars, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the spring-plunger, the spring-catch, the hook-lever, and the stud a, for operating together substantially as dcscribed.

9. The combination of the stud a., the hooklever, the spring-latch, and the reciprocating slide-bar, substantially as described.

l0. The combination of the right -hand spring-barrel, the spring-pawl, the springlatch, and the reciprocating slide-bar, substantially as described.

1l. The combination of the slide-bar, the spring-latch, the pin l', the spring -pawl, and the hook-lever, substantially as described.

l2. The combination of the slide-bar, the spring-latch, the friction-spring stop, the pin 7, the stirrup, and the seventh-day cam, substantially as described.

13. The combination of the slide-bar and the stirrup having a central aperture, provided with projections, substantially as described.

14. The stirrup composed of two parts, pivoted together at the top, held together at the bottom by a yielding spring, and having a ccntral aperture provided with projections pointing in opposite directions, in combination with cam Q, substantially as described.

15. rIhe sleeve I, provided with cam Q and radial and transverse slots, substantially as described.

16. The combination ot' the sleeve, the stirrup, and the seventh-day cam, and pin 7, substantially as described.

17. The combination of the dial and arbor, rigidly connected, and the pointerdisk and sleeve andv cam, rigidly connected, and capable of simultaneous adjustment with respect to the dial and arbor, substantially as described.

1S. The combination ot' the supplemental unlocking mechanism with the reciprocating link z, spring-pawl, and right-hand springbarrel, substantially as described.

19. The combination of the front rack-bar for carrying the lett-hand spring-barrel, the winding-arbors of the spring-barrels, and the key-apertures through the lock-case door, so arranged that the right-hand barrel must bc Wounl tlrfzt. :tml tlmt tluI winding' nl ity will ln tostinmny wllm'tnt' I lmwlwrmmtn sub as described. l-l.\l()ll\' S'l( l( l\'\\'l 1l.ll.

20. The Combination nl' tlw bult-work, tlm

the shouldered mms :unl smv bult". substmt (llio. ll. SMITH,

tizallbv as dcscribml. Svm'x'mcl: MRmT'r. 

